The Sister City Program was created at President Eisenhower’s 1956 White House conference on citizen diplomacy. Eisenhower envisioned an organization that could be the hub of peace and prosperity by creating bonds between people from different cities around the world. By forming these relationships, President Eisenhower reasoned that people of different cultures could celebrate and appreciate their differences and build partnerships. The City of San Diego established its first City relationship with Yokohama, Japan, on March 11, 1958. The City Council established a uniform policy as guidelines for the maintenance and expansion of San Diego’s Sister City Program in 2000. Since the date, at the recommendation and in accord with the International Affairs Board, San Diego has 18 additional Sister Cities.

• 19720926 Resolution206597 Establishing Council Policy No.000-14 Setting Guidelines Governing Sister City Program Travel by Council Members